Fireplace screen support



y 1951 J. F. SHANNON 2,562,371

FIREPLACE SCREEN SUPPORT Filed Oct. 12; 1948 IN V EN TOR. z/Z/WES f'T 5/70/7170 Patented July 31 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ACIaims.

1 This invention relates to a fireplace screen of the collapsible draw curtain 'typeand this invention'is in the nature of an improvement on :the fireplace screens disclosed ;in my two prior Patents No. 2,275,236, issued March 3, 1942, and

No. 2,356.892, issued August29yl944.

An objectof this invention is to improve and simplify the construction of a screen supporting .means of a, type adapted to support metal draw cscreensso that they can be moved toward and away from a fireplace.

A further object is'to provide afireplace screen supporting means including two .L -shaped brackets supported by a :cross member which islongitudinally extensible :into engagement with two LOppOSed side walls .of a fireplace, each bracket carrying a sleeve to slidably receive an :arm by .Which an end portion of .a screen supporting .bar .is .carriediso that :draw curtain :typerscreens supported by said "bar can be moved towardand away from afireplace.

.Another object of this invention is :toprovide ifireplacezscreen supporting means which zca'n'tbe -quickly and easily secured to a fireplace'without the use of :special tools and without altering'or mutilating the fireplace and which will support :metal drawscreens in such a manner that they :can be moved outwardly from the fireplace to prevent the screens from being damaged by over-- heating.

Other objects of the invention will be-appar- :ent from the following descriptiontaken in 10011- nection with the accompanying drawings. In1the drawings- Figure .lis a front elevation of afireplace pro- Vided with draw screen means constructed in accordance withthis invention, the draw screens :being drawn to thesides of the fireplace.

Fig.2 is a view partly in section and partly-in plan, on a larger scale than :Fig. 1, taken subzstantially on broken line 2--2 of Fig. .1.

Fig. .3 is a fragmentary sectional view, on a larger scale than Fig. v2, taken substantially 'on broken line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. .4 is a fragmentary sectional view "taken substantially on broken line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of a screen supporting bracket and an angle bracket with a sleeve of the angle bracket telescopically receiv- 'ing an arm of the-screen supporting bracket.

Like reference numerals designate like parts :throughout'the several views.

In accordance with'this invention I provide extensiblecrossibar or supporting means adapted to be placed across a fireplace opening near "F 'walls .I of the .fireplace.

the top of said opening and extended or expanded "against opposedside walls 1 of a firepla'ce li fto support means on which collapsible metal .fireplace "screens :20 or" draw curtain type-are hung. The screens 20 can be formed-of interlaced wire helices or metal smesh .or' can be otherwise :con-

-'structed a's long as theyare of fireproof material andcan be'drawn-touone side like draw curtains.

The extensible cross bar -or supporting :means herein shown comprises tworelatively telescopic tubes 9 and Leach-having an externallyithre'aded fireplace wall engaging pin member 1111310- truding coaxially from its outer end. Preferably the pin members II are rigidly secured :to the end portions of the"tube:membersa9 and by welding. Sleeves 31,:Fig. 4, can .be-usedias fillers between the pins I I and theitubes Bandit) if desired. Also preferably nuts .12 on the pin members II are positioned.againsttheendsiofithe tube members .9 and I0 and welded ".to said :tube members-so that wrenchzmeans can be-iappliedto these' nuts .I22 to facilitate relativelyturning the "tubes 9 and It :to expand them against :the side The outermost tube 5:9 has a nut I3 weldedor otherwise rigidly. secured within it, Fig.2, and the innermost tube I 0 has a coaxial threaded rod Id fixedly secured to and :protrudingfromitsinner end portion and adapt- :ed :to :be threaded into' the nut I3. Relativeturniing movement of the two tubes 9 and Ill in one direction will .extendthe combined length of the two tubes and jam thepinmembers II against "the side walls 'I of the fireplace. Relative turning movement .of the two tubes ,9 and I0 in the opposite direction will decrease the rover .alllength .of :said two tubes. Preferably shallow recesses are;.formed in thefireplace walls I .to.:receive :the end :portions of the ,pins :I I. This insures a'firm ;-andzsecure anchorage of the pins I I in the walls 1 of the fireplace.

Twoangle or L shaped brackets I5 of duplicate ;construction are adaptedto be securely held by "the extensible cross bar member .9, I0 against opposite side 'walls of the fireplace. One flange of each v:L-shaped bracket :has a hole I6 therein which .fits :over one of the pin members .I I. A nut I] is provided on each pin member'I-I between the .upright flange of the .L -shaped bracket I5 and the adjacent nut I2 which is welded to the end portion of the rod 9 or II). Preferably a :spring washer I8 is provided between each nut I! and the adjacent bracket flange. The nuts I'I :are used to clamp the L -s'haped-brackets I-5 against the opposedside walls 1 of the-fireplace. A tubular guide sleeve I9 is weldedor otherwise 3 fixedly secured to the tip portion of the horizontal flange of each L-shaped bracket l5 and extends crosswise of the adjacent tube 9 or H] below and in close proximity thereto.

The screens 20 are hung on rods 2i which are disposed within a screen carrying bar 22 of channel shaped cross section, see Fig. 3. The inner end portions of the rods 2| can extend past each other and be supported in a step shaped member 23, see Fig. 2. This allows the inner edge portions of the screens to overlap slightly when the screens are completely closed.

The channel shaped screen carrying bar 22 is adjustably supported by the sleeves [9 so that it can quickly and. easily be moved toward and away from the fireplace. Also provision is made for vertical adjustment of this channel bar 22.so that the screens 20 can be properly positioned as respects the fioor and as respects the top of the combustion chamber opening in the fireplace.

The means for adjustably supporting the screen carrying channel bar 22 comprises two upright brackets 24 of duplicate construction. Each bracket 24 has a forked upper end portion provided with a transverse notch or groove 25 to receive the rear flange of the channel bar 22 and support said channel bar 22 with the concave side receive a screw 21 by which an arm 28 is adjustably secured to the bracket 24 so as to extend at right angles from said bracket. Each arm 28 is slidably received within the guide sleeve l9 carried by one of the L-shaped brackets l5. Preferably the guide sleeves I9 are of substantial length so that the arms 28 will slide easily therein without binding.

To install this screen in a fireplace 8 shallow indentations are preferably drilled or otherwise formed in the opposed side walls 1 near the top of the fireplace opening to receive the pins H. The pin members I l have the L-shaped brackets I5 placed thereon before said pin members are inserted in the indentations in the fireplace side walls 1. After the pin members II are positioned in the indentations the rods 9 and ID are relatively rotated to increase the over all length of said two rod members and press the pin members I l firmly against the bottoms of the indentations in which they are seated. The L-shaped brackets [5 are then adjusted into the proper position, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and the nuts I! are tightened against these brackets to clamp the brackets securely to the side walls 1 of the fireplace. If desired short prongs or barbs 30, Fig. 4, can be provided on the faces of the brackets l5 which contact the fireplace walls I to more securely anchor these brackets in place. In material, such as brick, which is not too hard, the ends of the pins H can be made to embed themselves into the brick far enough to hold securely and it is not always necessary to drill holes for the reception of the ends of these pins. The relative turning movement of the two parts and i3 helps to cause the pins H to indent their own holes in the sides of the fireplace and the ends of said pins may be roughened. if desired, to facilitate their drilling into the fireplace walls when they are rotated.

The guide sleeves l9 receive the arms 28 and adjustably support the same. The channel bar 22 is supported in the grooves 25 of the upright brackets 24. If desired one or more set screws 29 can be used to secure the bar 22 to each upright bracket 24.

The arms 28 are freely movable lengthwise in the guide sleeves l9 and the screens can be quickly and easily moved toward and away from the fireplace. Obviously means can be used to prevent the arms 28 from being entirely withdrawn from the guide tubes IS.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of this invention but it will be understood that changes in the same can be made within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In fireplace screen means for supporting collapsible metal draw screens, extensible bar means; devices for extending said bar means into engagement with opposite walls of a fireplace; an

r L shaped bracket supported by the end portions of said extensible bar means with one member of the bracket disposed upright and having its outer surface positioned against a side wall of the fireplace and with the bracket securely clamped against the said side wall by the extensible bar means and with the other member of the bracket extending inwardly substantially horizontally in spaced relation below the extensible bar means; a substantially horizontal guide sleeve rigidly attached to the inwardly extending member of each bracket and positioned transversely of the extensible bar means; and screen carrying means slidably supported by said guide sleeves for movement toward and away from a fireplace.

2. In fireplace screen means for supporting collapsible metal draw screens, extensible bar means; devices for extending said bar means into fixed engagement with opposite side walls of a fireplace; an L shaped bracket supported by each end portion of said extensible bar means with one member of the bracket disposed upright and having its outer surface positioned against a side wall of the fireplace and with the bracket securely clamped against the said side wall by the extensible bar means and with the other member of the bracket extending inwardly substantially horizontally in spaced relation below the extensible bar means; a substantially horizontal guide sleeve rigidly attached to the inwardly extending member of each bracket and positioned transversely of the extensible bar means; an arm slidably supported in each guide sleeve; an upright bracket extending crosswise of the outer end portion of each arm and adjustably connected with the arm; and a screen carrying bar supported by said upright brackets.

3. In fireplace screen means for supporting collapsible metal draw screens, extensible bar means; bar extending devices embodied in said bar means, whereby the end portions of said bar means can be extended into fixed engagement with opposite side walls of a fireplace; an L shaped bracket supported by each end portion of said extensible bar means with one member of the bracket disposed upright and having its outer surface positioned against a side wall of the fireplace and with the bracket securely clamped against the said side wall by the extensible bar means and with the other member of the bracket extending inwardly substantially horizontally in spaced relation below the extensible bar means; a substantially horizontal guide sleeve rigidly attached to the inwardly extending member of each bracket and positioned transversely of the extensible bar means; an arm slidably supported in each guide sleeve; an upright bracket extending crosswise of the outer end portion of each arm, each upright bracket having a transverse groove in its upper end portion; means adjustably conmeeting each upright bracket with one of said arms; and a screen carrying bar of channel shaped cross section positioned with its concave side downwardly and having one flange thereof supported in the grooves in said upright brackets. 4 In fireplace screen means for supporting collapsible metal draw screens, a cross bar comprising two relatively extensible members; two threaded pin members rigid with the respective outer end portions of said two extensible supporting members; a nut movable on each threaded pin member; supporting member extendin means embodied in said two extensible members, whereby the pins on the outer end portions of said relatively extensible supporting members can be moved outwardly into clamping engagement with the side walls of a fireplace; and an L- shaped bracket carried by each pin member outwardly from the movable nut on said pin member and adapted to be clamped by the movable nut against the adjacent side wall of the fireplace.

" JAMES F. SHANNON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,275,236 Shannon Mar. 3, 1942 2,356,892 Shannon Aug. 29, 1944 

